Following her latest studio album 'Paper Doll', which received across-the-board rave reviews, critically acclaimed American guitarist and vocalist Samantha Fish was back on the UK road tonight with her Paper Doll Tour, including special guests The Zac Schulze Gang. And not only was her LP recently nominated as Best Contemporary Blues Album in The 2026 Grammy Awards, Samantha was also nominated in the Best Blues Rock category in our 2025 WRC Awards!

Why Manchester though? Well the mother of all clashes meant that I couldn't make the London O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire leg four nights earlier, however the flip side was a pleasant overnight stop in Manchester, as well as me visiting a new venue! In fact, before my trip, our esteemed Newcastle born, Manchester bred, WRC correspondent Big IaN had reminisced about this particular venue in Whitworth Street, having spent many an evening there back in his teens and 20s! IaN obviously has a good memory (lol) and was amazed it was still going, unlike The Hacienda he added, just a few hundred yards down the road, that was instrumental in the careers of Happy Mondays, Oasis and Stone Roses.

Anyway, after catching up with an old friend for a couple of pre-gig pints at Yates, as well as a short cab ride, this O2 venue wasn't as ramshackle as Big IaN suspected, very reminiscent of Islington Academy, with long bars both sides as well as a gallery upstairs right the way around. All in all, very impressive.

Unfortunately, I had missed The Zac Schulze Gang's highly anticipated debut album launch at the legendary 100 Club in London’s West End in September, although I did see these 2024 UK Blues Awards ‘Emerging Artist of the Year’ winners, kick off their eight-date UK tour last April at a sold out and very intimate The Grace in London. Hence my desperation to see Medway's finest pair up again with the incomparable Ms. Fish, following their marriage made in heaven performance at London's Koko back in October 2024.

Duly kicking ass with their opener 'High Roller', taken from their aforementioned new album 'Straight To It', Zac's Wilko-esque skittering across the stage, his hypnotic facial expressions, as well trying to bite his guitar strings, truly set the scene for 45 minutes of pure musical entertainment. Up next was the pounding drums of Zac's bro Ben, on another single from the new album, 'Woman', complemented by the very apt green capped Ant Greenwell on bass, who very conspicuously was not wearing his traditional 'Mackem' football shirt, most probably because City were also in town this evening!

Credit to those few hands in the audience that were raised when Zac asked if "Anyone was here from Medway tonight?" To be honest, I'm not sure if my "Kentish Man" hand counted, but what the hell as the trio slowed thing's down with a cover of Rufus Thomas's 'Walking The Dog' that saw an exceptional guitar solo from Zac as well as a few "woofs" thrown in for good measure. With a further nod to Wilko Johnson's much missed telecaster, things speeded up with a hands across the River Thames homage to Canvey Island's finest, Dr. Feelgood and 'She Does It Right', which this trio well and truly did.

Giving their merchandise a deserved plug, which was positioned at the very impressive built-in Ritz Merch Stand, the band also wished their imposing bass guitarist a happy birthday, and duly celebrated with a bit of "smoking the green stuff" on 'Hole In My Pocket', with the birthday boy excelling on lead vocals. Another from their 2023 album 'Made of Three', 'Ballyshannon Blues', understandably made us lick our lips in anticipation of seeing them again this May at this year's Rory Fest, where indeed, as this trio duly added, "the Guinness flows!"

This outstanding set's penultimate offering was a cover of Tony Dowlers Hellhounds 'Hellhounds On My Trail', that not only saw a thumping bassline from Greenwell, but also Zac raising his guitar in the air before sinking to his knees, somehow managing to play a 'Mission Impossible' snippet at the same time! I suppose asking if we wanted "one more?" was a bit of a stupid question, hence a final classic cover of Fleetwood Mac's 'Oh Well', before the band took a deserved selfie with their ecstatic crowd in the background. The Zac Schulze Gang also headline London's The Garage on Saturday 11th April, with support from The Whisky Flowers. Do not miss them!

Awaiting the arrival of Samantha Fish on stage tonight, brought back fond memories of the last time we saw her grace the Civic Theatre last April during New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. That night a renown WRC critic, as well as being up and till then, a live Ms. Fish virgin, later remarked that it was one of the best performances he'd ever seen! Hence my continued annual pilgrimage, albeit my partner in crime, Mark C, unfortunately being absent tonight.

Making her way on to the stage to the sound of The Cramps 'New Kind Of Kick', backed up once again by the same band that we witnessed on that late balmy night in New Orleans. With Jamie Douglass (drums), Ron Johnson (bass) and Mickey Finn (keys), tonight's proceedings got off to a disappointing start with a sound malfunction on a cover of MC5's 'Kick Out The Jams', albeit with Fish's opening guitar solo saving the day. With the sound problems now sorted, all was forgotten as Fish's rockin' riff on her latest album title track grasped the delighted audience's attention. Unperturbed she asked "How we doing?", somehow adjusting her pedals with her long tall black boots, before launching into another from 'Paper Doll', the short, cool and crunchy 'Can You Handle The Heat', with its Aretha/BB influence featuring a superb, evocative vocal from this blonde bombshell.

"You're a rowdy bunch tonight!" Samantha teased, dressed in her leopard skin top, as she then unleashed her slide guitar prowess on the exhilarating self-empowerment anthem, 'I'm Done Runnin'. This was followed by a heartfelt "Cheers Manchester" and yet another powerful 'Paper Doll' album track, 'Sweet Southern Sounds', that also saw Samantha worryingly slip on stage after an exceptional guitar solo. Indeed, it's no wonder that 'Paper Doll' was nominated for a Grammy given its core strength, so when Fish introduced "One more y'all" from said album, the crowd were lapping it up. Cue, more slide, another amazing vocal as well some crowd participation in the form of clapping along to the more mainstream 'Lose You'.

The introduction of her cigar box guitar, plus another pounding drum intro from Douglass, took us back to 2019's 'Kill Or Be Kind', and the foot stomping 'Bulletproof', with another extraordinary slide guitar solo from Samantha. After taking a deserved sip of water, it was back to 'Paper Doll' with Fish's passionate opening vocal on the sultry and sassy Psychedelia of 'Fortune Teller', of which this killer track took a Punk twist.

Albeit, another silly question, "Are we feeling good?", Samantha then insisted "I wanna see you all moving", which we all duly obliged on her cover of R. L. Burnside's 'Poor Black Mattie', given another scintillating slide guitar solo, and its Status Quo come Cajun feelin' vibe. Originally featuring Mick Collins on the album version, the snarly, spiky groove of Samantha's latest single 'Rusty Razor' was very fittingly followed by both the final track from 'Paper Doll', as well as the last album track from 'Paper Doll' to be aired tonight, namely the beautiful, haunting Blues of 'Don't Say It'.

Bringing back memories of New Orleans, Fish ended with the epic title track from 2013's 'Black Wind Howlin', that really has a bit of everything. With it's Hendrix vibe, an outstanding vocal and an awesome riff, Finn's Nord Stage 3 keys went into overdrive as Samantha duetted on this colossus at the front of stage with the Peaky Blinders capped, shades wearing Johnson, in one incredible jam, fittingly ending with an absolutely stunning solo from Fish which was simply off the charts.

With the delighted crowd understandably demanding more as they left the stage, Samantha returned with a 'We love you Manchester - always will", along with Zac Schulze who joined them for a storming encore of 'Bitch On The Run', from Fish's third album 'Wild Heart' (2015), ending an extraordinary gig with a slide guitar climax that left you feeling more in Mississippi than Manchester. Talking of which, this year we're indeed swapping the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival for the Rory Gallagher International Festival, but can't wait to see this world class artist back on our UK shores again very soon. Amazing.

Review and photos: AJ